Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)

I.2)Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

I.3)Main activity

General public services

I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities

The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities: no

Section II: Object of the contract

II.1)Description

II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:

ANDBC Tender for the Provision of Advice Services.

II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

Services
Service category No 27: Other services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Ards and North Down Borough.

NUTS code UKN03

II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

The notice involves a public contract

II.1.4)Information on framework agreement

Duration of the framework agreement

Duration in years: 3

II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)

Ards and North Down Borough Council is keen to ensure that residents of the Borough are able to access and obtain free, high quality advice and assistance from an easily accessible and identifiable source.
Ards and North Down Borough Council wishes to tender the provision of General Advice Services that reflect the proposals outlined by DSD’s ‘Opening Doors’ Strategy. The new strategy ‘Advising, Supporting, Empowering — A strategy for the delivery of generalist advice services in Northern Ireland 2015-2020’ is currently under consultation, any additional objectives from this new strategy must be met.

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

85312310, 75200000, 79140000

II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes

This contract is subject to renewal: yes
Number of possible renewals: 1
In the case of renewable supplies or service contracts, estimated timeframe for subsequent contracts:
in months: 24 (from the award of the contract)

III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:

III.1.4)Other particular conditions

The performance of the contract is subject to particular conditions: yes
Description of particular conditions: Minimum Standards of Experience:
Tenderers must complete the attached ‘Minimum Standards of Experience’ Pro-forma (Document B) for all proposed personnel clearly demonstrating that they have the minimum standards of professional ability to carry out the project. To demonstrate previous experience the examples provided of a project completed* by the applicant over the past 5 years that are similar in scale, scope and complexity to this project. The scale, scope and complexity of this project is detailed within the specification, it is the responsibility of the tenderer to demonstrate how an example given meets this criteria.
*Completed projects are projects that are completed their and all retention monies released by the funder
Tenderers are also required to upload Curriculum Vitae for all proposed staff/volunteers including level of qualifications and evidence of AccessNi checks.

III.2)Conditions for participation

III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers

III.2.2)Economic and financial ability

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met: Selection Criteria — Economic and Financial Standing
In order to determine your organisation’s current financial standing, please provide a letter/reference from your bank which should detail that your account is conducted in a satisfactory manner and that your organisation would not undertake a contract which you couldn’t see your way to fulfilling. This reference should be dated within the last 6 months. The information you provide in this section will be used to assess your firm’s financial position.

III.2.3)Technical capacity

Information and formalities necessary for evaluating if the requirements are met:
Selection Criteria — Resource Availability
Tenderers must complete the attached ‘Resource Availability’ Pro-forma (Document C) clearly demonstrating the resources the tenderer has available to carry out the project. The cost of all resources must be detailed within the Cost award criteria.
Selection Criteria — Demonstration of ability to meet minimum requirement
Tenderers must complete the attached ‘Demonstration of ability to meet minimum requirement’ Pro-forma (Document D). The successful service provider must develop a sustainable delivery mechanism and be responsible for the overall management of the advice services. On appointment the successful service provider must agree a forward work plan and the proposed implementation and agree to all monitoring arrangements as set out in the proposed service level agreement.

III.2.4)Information about reserved contracts

III.3)Conditions specific to services contracts

III.3.1)Information about a particular profession

III.3.2)Staff responsible for the execution of the service

Section IV: Procedure

IV.1)Type of procedure

IV.1.1)Type of procedure

Open

IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate

IV.1.3)Reduction of the number of operators during the negotiation or dialogue

IV.2)Award criteria

IV.2.1)Award criteria

The most economically advantageous tender in terms of the criteria stated in the specifications, in the invitation to tender or to negotiate or in the descriptive document

IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction

IV.3)Administrative information

IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:

IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract

no

IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document

Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or for accessing documents: 16.11.2015 – 12:00
Payable documents: no

IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

16.11.2015 – 12:00

IV.3.5)Date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates

IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up

English.

IV.3.7)Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender

IV.3.8)Conditions for opening of tenders

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.1)Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: no

VI.2)Information about European Union funds

The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no

VI.3)Additional information

Suppliers Instructions How to Express Interest in this Tender: 1. Register your company on the eSourcing portal (this is only required once): https://e-sourcingni.bravosolution.co.uk and click the link to register — Accept the terms and conditions and click ‘I agree’ — Enter your correct business and user details — Note the username you chose and click ‘Save’ when complete — You will shortly receive an email with your unique password (please keep this secure) 2. Express an Interest in the tender — Login to the portal with the username/password — Click the ‘PQQs / ITTs Open To All Suppliers’ link. (These are Pre-Qualification Questionnaires or Invitations to Tender open to any registered supplier) — Click on the relevant PQQ/ ITT to access the content. — Click the ‘Express Interest’ button at the top of the page. — This will move the PQQ /ITT into your ‘My PQQs/ My ITTs’ page. (This is a secure area reserved for your projects only) -You can now access any attachments by clicking ‘Buyer Attachments’ in the ‘PQQ/ ITT Details’ box 3. Responding to the tender — Click ‘My Response’ under ‘PQQ/ ITT Details’, you can choose to ‘Create Response’ or to ‘Decline to Respond’ (please give a reason if declining) — You can now use the ‘Messages’ function to communicate with the buyer and seek any clarification — Note the deadline for completion, then follow the onscreen instructions to complete the PQQ/ ITT — There may be a mixture of online and offline actions for you to perform (there is detailed online help available) You must then submit your reply using the ‘Submit Response’ button at the top of the page. If you require any further assistance please consult the online help, or contact the eTendering help desk.

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

As above

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The Council will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period, which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days, provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into
The Public Contracts Regulations 2015 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained